Illuminated tire sign



Oct. 24, 1939. F. A. SUNDERHAUF ILLUMINATED TIRE SIGN Filed April '7, 1939 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 24, 1939` PATENT ori-"1er:

ILLUMiNATED 'rms SIGN Fred-.erick A. Sunderhauf, Rutherford, N. J., assignor to Reynolds Metals Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware f Application April '1, 1939, Serial No. 266,458

` s claims. (el. 40-133) This invention relates to an improved collapsible, or knock-down, sign formed of cardboard stock or lthe like, preferably foil coated on one or more surfacesand of a type, if desired, adapt- 5 ed to give a glowing neon eiect at night and also to provide arsign for both day and night useV and` is to be regardedas an improvement of the classV of illuminated sign described and claimedf.inrU.S. Patent No. 2,086,893 issued July 13,1937, to Charles W. Belden and U. S. Patent No. 2,148,179 issued February 2l, 1939, to Frederick A. Sunderhauf.

- Heretofore, Various signs, either illuminated or 1 otherwise, have been suggested for use with autov unattractive, or expensive to fabricate, or have incorporated -breakable glass parts or have been expensive tol operate. l

Therefore,v it is an object of my invention to provide a collapsible, preferably metal foil covered, cardboard sign which may be shipped ilat, whichis cheap and economical to fabricate, being formed of simple parts, which is easy to assemble, and which when assembled forms a strong stable display vstructure suitable for day and night display purposes, and which is attention compelling. It is a further object of my invention to provide ysuchl a sign or displaywhich'may be readily incorporated withinthe opening of a rubber automobile tire, and which will fill the opening in an attractiveimanner. Large sums of money have been expended upon tire advertisements but to date no one has created an attractive display, which may be shipped in collapsed form to dealers,`for incorporation Within, or for combination with, an automobile tire, and which display o r sign is cheapand economical to fabricate, easy to assemble, and economical to operate.

yIt is a further object of my invention to form such a sign by die scoring and die cutting cardboardl orlike stock, by modernmethods from easily formed simple pieces, so that once the proper dies are obtained, thousands of the displays may be die cut and die scored, and assembled in flat collapsible form, at little expense. These and various objects and advantages will be readilyunderstood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying 50 drawing of a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a plan View of a flat, die cut front or mobile tires. However, most have been bulky, or f display panel section of a sign embodyingv my invention. y

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a die cut and die scored rear member of a sign embodying my invention.

Fig.4 3 is a plan viewy of a foldable at collapsible connective member for joining the members i illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the connective mem- Fig.- 6 illustrates the method of folding therear member of a display embodying my invention, so that the said rear member can be projected through the opening of a tire and a rubber automobile tire isjindicated in this figure.

Fig. '7 is a section of an automobile tire and av-sign'embodying my invention,- inassembled position, for display or advertising purposes.

In these figures, a flat foldable collapsible sign or display, Ill will be preferably formed of cardboard stock, or like materials, with a front display or panel portion I2, die cut with an advertising stencil as indicated at I4, a rear member I6, and a fiat collapsible connecting and supporting member I8.

The cardboard stock may be covered with metal foil ify desired as this `adds to the attention compelling character of the sign.

Front member I2 and rear member I6 will usually be made circular in form and of equal size, slightly larger than the opening in a tire 20, as indicated in Fig. '7.

Member I6 will normally be provided with lines of fold so that the rear member may be projected through the opening of a tire, as indicated in Fig. 6. These lines of fold may take the form as indicated in Fig. 2, thus providing two hinged wing members identified at 22 provided with locking slots 24 and a hinged bottom portion 26. Wing members v22 are folded only when being pressed through the tire opening and otherwise will normally lie in the plane member I6 when the sign is set up for display.

An electrical bulb and socket supporting and connective bridge member I8 will be provided for connecting front member I2 and rear member I6 in a strong and stable manner, the member I8 being simply die out and die scored from a single blank of material and adapted, when assembled, to provide a reflective bottom portion 2&3 and two side portions 28 for the light ema- 25 will also be provided with a flap memben,...

of generallyv similar conformation as hinged flap portion 25 of rear member I6 and will be adhe sively connected thereto.

Diagonal fold lines 38 may be die scored-in 7; side portionsz of connective member I8`so -that the side portions may be collapsed flat as indi-j n cated in Figs. 5 and 6. 1

The interior of the sign will normally beI colored to provide a reflective surface as desiredlso that light rays emanating from bulb 30 will strike the colored areas upon the interior of theY sign and so that such -areas will partially project colored light through stencil I4, and so thatan observer looking through the-'stencil I4 will see illuminated colored surfaces within the interior of the sign. f l

Foldablevand hinged tabs 40- having openings 42 will be die cut and die scored i'nv portion 26 of connective member I8to forman electrical socket and bulb support.

Also, side members 28 are provided with locking vtabs M properly positioned to lock in slots 25 of side wing portions 22 of rear member IE, in order `to keep the side members substantially straight in a vertical plane and also to hold the v side wing members 22 in the same planeas the rest of member I6, namelya vertical plane, when the sign is assembled.

It will be recognized that renements an modifications may be made in displays which em body my invention,'either in whole or in part, but that the essence of my invention comprises a fiat collapsible die ,cut and die vscored illuminable sign or display which may be cheaply and economically formedy from preferably three main die cut and die scored pieces and which whenasse'mbled gives a strong and stable display for use in combination with an automobile tire. Gf course the display could be fabricated from sheet metal or the likeQ It will be further recognized that while the illustrated form of the invention which I have described represents the preferred embodiment,'I do not wish to'limit myself to the details as shown, since it is obvious that the same may be Varied without departing from the spirit ofthe invention as described and claimed in the appended claims.`

I claim:

1. A flatcollapsible sign adapted to lill the central opening .an automobile tire, said sign including a front panel member adapted to be positioned on one side ofthe tire, a rear panel member adapted to be positioned on the other side of the tire, and a connective bridge member foldably connected to at least one ofv said panel members and having means of connection to vthe other 0f said panel member,

2. A structure as defined in claiml wherein the sign is constructed of die cut and die scored cardboard or like stock and is flat folding.

3. A structure as dened in claim 1 wherein the sign is constructed of die cut and die scored cardboard or like stock and is at folding, and

wherein the two panel members are substantially equal in size but larger than the tire opening and the rear panel member is formed of at least `two hingedly connected parts.

the rear panel member is formed of at least two hingedly connected parts, and wherein the connective bridge member has a bottom member and two side members formed of an elongated rectangular strip of material and is flat collapsible," 'the said members being permanently associated with the panel members so that all'are collapsible flat.

5. A structure as defined in claim l wherein the sign is constructed of die cut and die scoredl vcardboard or like stock and is flat folding, and

wherein the two panel members v,are substantially equal in size but larger than the tire opening and the rear panel member is formed of vat least two hingedly connected` parts, and wherein the *connective bridge member has a bottomfmember and two side members formed of an elongated rectan# said members being permanently associated with vthe panel members so that all are collapsible ilat, and wherein the front panel member is provided with a die cut stencil and the sign is illuminable.

6. A structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the sign is constructed of die cut and die scored cardboard or like stock and is flat folding, and wherein the two panel members are substantially equal in size but larger than the tire opening and the rear panel member is formed of at least two hingedly connected parts, and wherein the connective bridge member has a bottom member and two side members formed of an elongated rectangular strip of material and is ilat collapsible, thesaid members being permanently associated with the panels 4so that all are collapsible flat, and wherein thek iront panel member is provided with a die cut stencil and the sign is illuminable, and wherein the interior of the sign includes coloredl reective material.

7. A structure as defined in claim` 1 wherein the two panel members are substantially equal in size,.but larger than' the tire opening, and the rear panel member is formed of at least two parts adapted to be folded so. that the rear panel member Vcan be inserted through the tire opening.

f8. A combination as dened in claim 1 wherein the two vpanel members are substantially equal in size but larger than the ltire opening and the rear panel member is formed of at least two connected and foldable parts so that the rear panel member can be inserted through the tire opening, and wherein the front panel member is i1- luminated by an ordinary electric bulb.

FREDERICK A. SUNDERHAUF. 

